Louver construction



Aug. 25, 1953 J. H. BAXTER ET AL LOUVER CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 28, 1949 FiG.2

3nventor J. H.Baxcer d Robert B.Johnson M fink Clttorneg Aug? 1953 .1. H. BAXTER ET AL 2,649,629

LOUVER CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 28, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zmnentor J. Hbaxter d Robgri: B.John son attorney Patented Aug. 25, 1953 LOUVER CONSTRUCTION Jay H. Baxter and Robert B. Johnson, Port Arthur, Tex.

Application November 28, 1949, Serial No. 129,804

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a louver construction of the type having horizontally pivoted slats that provide a window closure. More particularly this invention pertains to improved means for rendering such louvers weathertight when closed, to improved means for maintaining such louvers in any selected adjusted position, to improvements in securing the louver slats in their carriers, and to a simplified construction which facilitates louver manufacture and installation.

Louvers of the type described present a difficult Weatherstripping problem, particularly between the ends of the slats and the side jambs, or frame members, of the opening in which the louver is mounted. Numerous attempts have been made to make louvers weathertight at the slat ends when closed. Such attempts, however, have usually resulted in constructions that either are diflicult to install, expensive, or ineffective. I

Numerous constructions have also been developed for maintaining louvers in any selected position of adjustment. These constructions, for the most part, are complicated, and consequently expensive, or require undue manual manipulation to accomplish the desired result.

Louver constructions of the type under consideration, comprise a plurality of slats having slat carriers, or pivot clips, at both ends thereof for mounting the slats for rotational movement about a horizontal axis. In conventional constructions these carriers are either permanently secured to the slats, which makes for louver assembling difiiculties, or readily detachable therefrom, which makes assembly easy but which renders the louvers non-burglar proof. Additionally, since it is almost impossible to prevent some slight variation in slat length, particularly when glass slats are used, present detachable slat carrier constructions permit end play of the slats with consequent objectionable rattling.

Present louver constructions also usually require the factory fabrication of pre-assembled hardware units. louvers are not readily installable in off-size windows. Furthermore, most louvers require installation as a completely pre-assembled unit in a window frame, thus necessitating painting and plastering operations after such installation, which operations tend to dirty and soil the slats and their hardware.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide inexpensive means for effectively Weatherstripping the ends of pivotally mounted louver slats when the louver is closed.

It is another object of this invention to pro- Hence, for practical reasons,-

vide simple means for maintaining a louver in any selected position of adjustment.

It is another object of this invention to provide means for securing louver slats within slat carriers during assembly of the louver in an opening, such fastening means precluding ready removal of the slats.

It is another object of this invention to provide means for compensating for variations in slat length and for snugly maintaining the slats in their carriers.

It is another object of this invention to provide louver hardware which can be easily assembled in and secured to a frame and in which the slats can be easily inserted with a minimum of skill and effort.

It is a further object of this invention to accomplish the above objects simply and inexpensively with materials that can be manufactured in bulk at low cost.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view, taken substantially on line l--l of Figure 3, of a louver construction embodying this invention with the jamb and sealing strips removed on one side and the louvers closed.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary inside elevational view of the louver construction shown in Figure 1.

Fi ure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective inside view of a louver slat with slat carriers embodying this invention attached thereto.

Figure 5 is a top view of the slat and slat carrier assembly shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a side view of an element used to secure the slats within the slat carriers.

Figure '7 is a sectional View taken on line 11 of Figure 4.

Figure 8 is an end view of the slat and slat carrier assembly shown in Figure 4.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view partly in section of an end of the slat and slat carrier assembly shown in Figure 4.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary outside view of an end of the slat and slat carrier assembly shown in Figure 4.

Figure 11 is a view corresponding to Figure 7, but with the slat and the slat securing element removed, of a modified form of slat carrier.

Referring now to Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings, a louver construction which embodies this invention is shown installed within a window horizontal axis in sheet metal channel-shaped slat carriers 18, each having a web H and inner and outer parallel side flanges i8- and 1-9., respec..

tively. The slat carriers are cut away, 'or

notched, on opposite sides at alternate-endstheremarginal portions of the slats, when closed, makeglass-to-glass contact to .provide a Weathertight seal therebetween.

The web of each carrier is provided, substantially midway between its ends, with a pivot pin 2| which may be secured in place by welding, riveting, etc. able bearing apertures 22 formed in the web of channel-shaped metal jamb strips 23, which are secured to the window jambs H by screws, as shown, nails, or anyothersuitable means. Preferably theweb of the jambstrip 23 is thickened, as by an inner longitudinal rib 2 4, to reinforce the apertures 22. The lower or outer endof the channel in each carrier is closed by an integral lip 25 which engages a side edge of a slat to retain the latter in the. carrier. Interposed between the web 11 of each carrier and the end of the slat Supported therein is a longitudinally bowed, spring metal fillerstrip 2.5 with the con vexside thereof facing the end of the slat. This filler strip thrusts equally againstthe end of the slat and the web iiof the carrier to thereby constantly urgethe carrier against thejamb strip 23. It is obvious that slight variations in the length of the slats may be compensated-by the filler strips and that endplay and ra ttlingof a slightly short slat is prevented.

The filler strips haveanother function, however, in addition to that describedxabove. The upper or inner end of each filler strip has a bent over tongue 2? for engagingthe side edge of the slat opposite the lip 25 to. prevent withdrawal .of the slat from the carrier without. removal of the filler strip. The opposite end of the filler strip, i. e. the. lower or outer end, is provided with a boss, or protuberance 28 that is constantlyurged into a'corresponding aperture 23 in the web of the carrier. Hence, the filler strip cannot be re moved, after installation, without a punch or similar tool to press the box 23 out of engagementwith the aperture 29. It is to be noted that the boss does not extend completely through the web IT for reasons, which later become obvious.

Interposed between the carriers and the jamb strips 23, and substantially coextensive in length with the latter, is a transversely-bowed resilient sealing strip 3%! having uniformly spaced holes aligned with the bearing apertures 22 to snugly accommodate the pivot pins 25. Thesesealing strips are maintained in place solely by the pivot pins and preferably havev their longitudinal marginal edge portions folded under, as shown, to eliminate unconcealed raw edges. The resilient engagement betweenthe webs I! of the carriers, when closed, and the convex face of the sealing These pins are journalled in suit- Ii U 4 strip 30 and between the longitudinal edges of the latter and the jarnb strip 23 creates a substantially weathertight seal at the ends of the slats. Preferably the pivot pins 23 are shouldered, as at 31, to prevent their complete insertion into the bearing apertures 22 with consequent flattening of the sealing strips 39 and possible leakage of the seal.

Simultaneous pivotal movement of the slats to any position from the fully closedposition shown in Figure 1 to the fully open position, shown by the broken outline, is eifected by a traveller bar 32, preferably one at each side of the louver, which is pivotally connected to all of the slat .carriers. .These bars, if desired, may be connected top and bottom by horizontal members, not shown, to form, a traveller frame. The bar 32 preferably is T-shaped in section with the leg 33 thereof connected to the carriers and the head of the T disposed parallel to the plane of the window opening. As shown best in Figures 2 and 3., the head of the T conceals the carriers and the sealing strip except at the lowermost portion of the louver. This head of the-T also serves as a grip bar for manual adjustment ofthe louver without the need for special. pull handles on the traveller bar. It also is pointed out that because of the adequate spacingbetween the head of the T and the slats, when closed, the fingers of an operator cannot be caught therebetween in the closing movement.

The leg 33 of the traveller bar ispivotally con-. nected to a rebent or folded flange, or car, .34 integrally formed on each slat carrier andextending laterally from the longitudinal edge of the inner side flange 18- thereof. At one end. the rebent flange projects upwardly beyond the web, of the carrier and at the other end terminates short of the lower orouter edge of the carrier to permit the slats, to be pivoted to. full open or closed position without interference between. separate carriers .or between the carriers and the traveller bar. This rebent flange 34 serves two, purposes, one.strengthen and stiffen the carrier, and, two -.to provide adjustable frictional resistance to pivotal movement of the slats. The, traveller bar is connected to the rebent fiange'on each carrier by ascrew 35, or other equivalent fastening meanswhich passes through both folds of the flange 34 and is threaded into the leg 33 of the bar. By properly tensioning the screw 35, the inherentspringiness of the folds of the flange 34 can easily be varied tov rovide. the proper amount. of frictional resistance,- against pivotal movement of the carriers on the traveller bar, to maintain the slats in any selected position while permitting easy adjustment to anyother position. It isto be noted.that the slats are substantially balancedv againstmove-. ment by gravity becauseof thecentral position. of the pivot pins 2 l. ,I-Ience, thefrictional resistance tomovement provided by the rebent flange neednot be large. Moreover, additional frictionalresistance to movement is provided by the filler strips 26 and the resilient sealing strips 30'. The illustrated screw connection between the barand thecarriers obviously can be adjustedto .varyzthe frictional resistance. By providing, a shoulder.

(notv shown) on the screw 35, however, to limit. the permissible spacing between the screw head, and theleg 34, it ispossible to provide uniform, substantially. predetermined, resistance to. move-,.

ment between the traveller barandeach carrier, The structure described, is. easily assembled,

with a minimum of operation. Thejamb strips are first secured to the side jambs and necessary painting and/0r plastering of the window frame completed. The sealing strips are then properly positioned on the jamb strips and held in place while the pivot pins of an opposite pair of slat carriers are inserted through the sealing strips into their bearing apertures. While these carriers are held in place a slat is inserted therein. The slat may then be locked in the carriers with filler strips. After all the slats have been so mounted the traveller bars are readily connected to the carriers with the screws 35 which are thereafter adjusted to the proper tension.

Several of the hardware elements are adapted for bulk production in continuous lengths that can be sold by the lineal foot. Thus, material for the sealing strips, the jamb strips, and the traveller bars can be manufactured in long lengths that are pre-drilled and adapted to be cut to size at the installation site. The jamb strips and traveller bars preferably are made of extruded aluminum. The slat carriers, filler strips, and slats can also be manufactured and sold in bulk quantities for assembly at the installation site. Such a marketing process is possible only because the various louver elements require no factory pre-assernbling into sub-units and can be readily and completely assembled on the job with conventional hand tools. The simplified construction permits the jamb strips to be secured in place and all painting and plastering operations then completed before the remaining louver elements are installed. It is evident that in addition to this separate element construction so well adapted for simplified installation procedure, the louver hardware also lends itself to pre-assembly into sub-units. Thus, a pre-assembled hardware sub-unit for each side of the window opening may comprise a jamb strip and a sealing strip with the slat carriers permanently pivotally secured thereto by rivets, or the like (not shown) which replace the pivot pins. This sub-unit construction still permits painting and plastering to be completed before the slats and traveller bars are installed.

A slightly modified form of slat carrier 16 is shown in Figure 11. In this form the integral lip 25 is narrowed somewhat and the lower end of the outer side flange I9 is provided with an integral flange extension 36 which is folded around the lip 25 as shown. In the previously described carrier construction the integral lips 25, which are accessible from the outer side of the louver, may be bent rather easily and the slats slipped out of their carriers. The folded 6 flange extension 36, however, strengthens the lip 25 sufficiently to greatly hinder, if not entirely prevent, such slat removal, thus rendering the louver construction substantially burglar proof.

While a specific preferred embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described for purposes of disclosure, it is obvious that various alternative constructions embodying the principles of this invention will be evident to persons skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention embraces all modifications which come within the spirit and scope of the following claim.

We claim:

In a louver construction the combination of a pair of channel-shaped slat carriers pivotally mounted on opposed window jambs, one end of said carriers being closed; a slat mounted with its ends in said carriers; and a longitudinally bowed resilient filler strip within the channel of said slat carrier and interposed between each end of said slat and the Web of the corresponding carrier and thrusting oppositely thereagainst to resist longitudinal movement of said slat in said carrier, the concavity of each filler strip facing the carrier web and each said strip having a down-turned tongue engaging a side edge of the slat, the opposite end portion of said strip having a boss on a side thereof engaged in a corresponding aperture in the web of the slat carrier to lock said strip therein.

JAY H. BAXTER. ROBERT B. JOHNSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 687,705 Walker Nov. 26, 1901 840,820 Brauchli Jan. 8, 1907 1,551,753 Lane Sept. 1, 1925 2,119,803 Brown June 7, 1938 2,137,426 Thompson Nov. 22, 1938 2,164,814 Grifiith July 4, 1939 2,311,300 Dubour et al. Feb. 16, 1943 2,386,380 Andersen et al Oct. 9, 1945 2,457,871 Cooper Jan. 4, 1949 2,513,250 Petit June 27, 1950 2,531,499 Brown Nov. 28, 1950 2,556,695 Jansen June 12, 1951 2,565,447 Andresen et al. Aug. 21, 1951 2,601,707 Hyland July 1, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 528,461 France Nov. 12, 1921 

